JERUSALEM: November 13, 2012The Russian Orthodox Patriarch Performs a Commemorative Litany Over the Grave of Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin) in Holy Ascension Monastery on the Mt of Olives

On November 2, 2012, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, visited Holy Ascension Convent on the Mt of Olives in Jerusalem. His Holiness performed a commemorative litany at the grave of Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin). Also commemorated at the service were other reposed Chiefs of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem and hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

After the service, His Holiness was welcomed by Abbess Moisseia (Bubnova). “We rejoice that Fr Antonin (Kapustin) so loved the Mt of Olives that he wished to be buried here. Thanks to this, we receive a great many Russian pilgrims, most of all Your Holiness, and we sense that we belong to the Russian Church,” she said.

His Holiness then addressed the attending bishops, abbess and nuns of the convent, as well as the pilgrims:

“I would like to express my special joy in connection with the having the opportunity to pray at this holy place, at the grave of Archimandrite Antonin of blessed memory, who served in the Holy Land for a full thirty years. Through his labors he founded ‘Russian Palestine,’ which opened the door for thousands and thousands of pilgrims, leaving for us a legacy of wonderful monuments to the Russian spirit, the Orthodox faith adopted by our people here in the Holy Land.

“It was not without Divine Providence that Fr Antonin died and was buried here. His name is connected to the most important pages in the history of the Russian pilgrimage movement and the Russian presence in Palestine. It is remarkable that the time has come when once again, thousands of pilgrims from all of Holy Russia come to this place and find prayerful consolation here, and loving hospitality.

“I know how hearts rejoice for this, what great importance and profound meaning the reestablishment of unity within the Russian Church has, having occurred by the will of God and His Providence, through the prayers of the New Martyrs and Confessors. It opens new possibilities for us, new perspectives for the renewal of the spiritual life of the people, the strengthening of the Orthodox faith and Orthodox witness before the entire world.”

His Holiness expressed heartfelt thanks to Abbess Moisseia for her efforts along with her nuns in the Holy Land, for her love and care in welcoming pilgrims, and for the prayers of the united historic Russia and the Russian Church.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill then gave Abbess Moisseia a cross, and an icon of the Mother of God to the convent.